Are Influencers Ruining Everything?
How content creators have made their way into sports
BY Payton Alfieri ★ October 15th, 2026
Photo credits: Josie Gilbert
You either love them or hate them, and recently, for me, it’s the latter. It’s hard to deny the fact that influencers are everywhere these days. A job that began in the saturated days of YouTube and Tumblr, social media influencing has changed immensely over the years. Influencers began profiting from their content in the early 2000s, and by 2015, they had a major presence online.
Growing up watching YouTube, creators like Alisha Marie, Bethany Mota, Niki and Gabi, and RCLBeauty 101 shaped my sense of style and taught me many life hacks I still use today. However, so much has changed since those girls ran the internet. t. For example, creators like them were referred to as content creators or just YouTubers, not influencers. Back then, YouTube was virtually the only social media platform where someone could gain a large fanbase. Nowadays, everyone’s favorite influencer can be found posting on TikTok. TikTok changed the entire concept of content creation. Gone are the days of videos longer than ten minutes, with hours of editing, perfect lighting, and high-quality cameras. Now, we have quick, minute-long “get-ready-with-me” videos.
As social media has grown, brands have embraced influencer marketing, but like influencing itself, the strategy isn’t new. One of the best-known examples of influencer marketing began in 2015, when Tarte Cosmetics launched “Trippin’ with Tarte,” sending a large group of influencers on an all-expenses-paid trip to Bora Bora. So what does Tarte gain from sending influencers on a trip that the company pays for entirely? Content. During these trips, influencers post at least twice a day, showing off Tarte products. . Since then, many companies have followed Tarte’s lead, sending influencers to various places and events in exchange for content.
Recently, though, one company's influencer marketing campaign completely backfired at the U.S. Open. As the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, it’s one of the most exciting events in tennis. For many, the U.S. Open is more than a tennis tournament: it’s a perfect photo opportunity for Instagram. Or at least, that’s what a non-tennis fan would say. From Honey Deuces to cute merchandise, the U.S. Open seems like the perfect place to get content. This year, the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) invited over 100 influencers to the tournament, but they should’ve given them a rundown of tennis etiquette first. The controversy began when an influencer used a bright ring light to take photos during Naomi Osaka's match against Anastasia Zakharova. The bright light forced the chair umpire to pause play and ask her to put the light away. The video went viral, and the comments flooded with people saying that the U.S. Open should stop giving tickets to non-tennis fans.
In an interview with ESPN, Osaka said, “I feel like it's common courtesy to read up on the sport, especially the etiquette. I feel like it could be a good thing for people to make the sport of tennis popular to their specific audience, but I think it has to be managed a lot better, especially in a situation like [my] first-round match." In the days that followed, the USTA had to issue a statement reminding fans to “refrain from the use of flash photography or other lighting.” The New York Times put it perfectly, “[Influencers are] stealing attention from the action but they’re not paying attention to it. Tennis is all about engaging in the moment, following the action on the court and in the stands, not making moments for online engagement.” Tennis influencer Madison Appel, known for her “Day In My Life as a Private Tennis Coach” videos, spoke out about the importance of tennis etiquette. Appel specifically stated, “Let me make it clear…you can take content at the tennis tournaments…I just think it’s important to be prepared and understand the sport before you’re going. Keep making your content, keep being loud, keep having fun. Just do it respectfully.”
Similarly, a controversy surrounding influencers at The Masters took over the internet this past April. As the most prestigious tournament in golf, it is known for its cardinal rules that have run the tournament since its inception. One of them is the ban on cell phone usage at Augusta National. So why would an influencer with no interest in golf attend? For Abby Baffoe, it was all about the outfit. Baffoe’s outfit did not fit the typical style present at The Masters, and in response, she posted a video attempting to make fun of the situation, which only added fuel to the fire.
So, are influencers really ruining everything? Not quite, but some are making a scene in places where they don’t belong. I used to love watching influencers and getting a glimpse of their daily lives, but when they can’t show basic respect at events they’ve been invited to, it gets harder to support them.
Edited by Zara Abiog